9 unhealthy habits sabotaging your life's potential

SSaamm BBaaiilleeyy

3rd February 2016

Photo: @bellabeactive Instagram

9 UNHEALTHY HABITS SABOTAGING YOURLIFE’S POTENTIAL

What unhealthy habits I hear you ask? You eat kale, exercise

moderately and try to refrain from wine on a week day. That

makes you fairly balanced, right?

Well, not quite. Yes they are healthy and #fitspirational, but

there’s also those less tangible ones – the unhealthy thoughts

leaving a large portion of Australians age early 20s to mid-30s

unsatisfied with their lives.

Between FOMO, social media, Netflix and family and friend

pressures – being healthy across the board is no piece of raw,

vegan cheesecake. So to reach life goals we need to hone in on

any soul destroying habits. Read on and see if any of these ring

true for you – and learn how to scrap them ASAP.

1. Excessive social mediaWe spend at least 8.5 hours a week on Facebook alone, says a

Sensis study. While we take no shame in a scroll each morning,

it’s affecting us more than we know.

“Social media leads to comparisons with our own life. You may

have a great night out but then you see posts from others

appearing to have a better time and your perception of your own

experience changes,” says clinical psychologist Jo Lamble.

This ‘FOMO’ state can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety,

loneliness, stress, depression, a low immune system and poor

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sleep.

“Choose a time of day to scroll but don’t look at it continually.

Also restrain going online if you’re already feeling fragile –

instead call a friend or go for a walk.”

2. Neglecting booksA Norwegian university found when people read a novel on a

Kindle, they were significantly worse at absorbing the plot and

events versus those who read a tangible, paperback copy.

Not to mention reading books is proven to combat cognitive

decline, according to Rush University Medical Centre.

Casey Beros, health coach at Paper Tiger Wellness says it’s not

just a great brain trainer – it can help our wellbeing significantly

too.

“A page-turner is an incredible way to unwind. Reading for just a

few minutes will help you switch off and de-stress – plus you’ll

learn a thing or two in the process.”

3. Putting others firstWhether we pride ourselves on being a good friend, parent,

daughter/son or grandchild, at some point we prioritise others –

and this can be a catch 22.

“While it’s better to give than receive – if we’re always selfless we

can begin to feel used,” says Lamble. “Feelings of resentment

build and others can start to lose respect for a doormat (i.e. you)

and may begin to unconsciously walk all over you.”

The solution? “If selfishness is up one end of the spectrum and

selfless at the other, aim for the middle ground – the place where

you think of others but remember you matter too,” says Lamble.

4. Living in the past, not the presentDo you ever think about where things went wrong, what you

could have done differently, what you hoped would happen that

didn’t?

Nikki Jankelowitz of Centred Mediation says while this is common

it also is unhealthy. “We can’t change the past, so reliving it only

disappoints us. More often than not, the narratives we conjure up

never eventuate, so we end up propagating our own suffering.”

Instead, Jankelowitz suggests staying present. “Cultivate

awareness by strengthening certain neural pathways in the brain

using techniques such as meditation. By maintaining presence we

can have the happily ever after we’re searching for.”

5. Becoming complacent They say a change is as good as a holiday, but as creatures of

habit it can be very easy to get stuck – and not even realise it’s a

bad thing.

“In theory, we may seem satisfied with how things are – but do

you ever wish for a better job, more work/life balance or to fit in

a smaller pair of jeans?” says Casey Beros.

If the answer is yes, Beros recommends setting goals. “Keep a list

of how you want to feel (rather than what you want to achieve)

then check in and keep moving the goal posts,” says Beros.

“Remember – you deserve an incredible life, not a mediocre one –

if something’s not working, change it.”

6. Excessive dieting

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So you’ve adopted paleo, quit sugar and weaned off dairy. While

these clean changes can be considered healthy, in some cases it

can be a form of extreme dieting.

Sydney-based dietitian Kara Landau (The Travelling Dietitian),

believes the removal of food groups can affect us psychologically

and physically.

“Excessive food restrictions can lead to self esteem issues – the

emphasis gets placed on the ability to stick with specific dietary

guidelines and when they’re not followed, we feel disappointed,”

says Landau.

“Stress then can impact our hormones and can set off

inflammatory pathways which negatively effect our mental health

and risk of lifestyle diseases.”

Most importantly, we also lose the nourishing aspects foods

provide. “Carbohydrates give us antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin

E, B group vitamins and protein helps build muscles and keep us

satisfied- when we restrict food, we miss out on these vital

nutrients that help us perform,” says Landau.

7. Skipping a workout in favour of the couchThree words – Nextflix and chill. If the phrase sounds a little too

familiar (and not in the sexy way), it might be time to get

moving.

Currently Australians play less sport than ever says the Australian

Bureau of Statistics and 80 per cent of kids don’t get the

minimum amount of exercise per day, an Active Healthy Kids

Australia Report found.

Lee Sutherland, a Sydney-based PT and health coach from

Fitness In The City says it’s just as important health wise as it is

fitness. “Skipping a workout is tempting, but if you sit at a desk

then you need to move – human bodies aren’t made to be sitting

all day.”

Sutherland says the more we sit, the more we welcome back/hip

pains, weight gain, lack of energy and poor sleep.

“The recommended amount is only 30 minutes but if you’re

lacking motivation – get a PT. I find my clients thrive on being

held accountable and know once their session is locked in – it’s

on!”

8. Caving into unhealthy temptationsNew year, new … oh look, there’s wine! That pick-me up booze or

brownie might begin as a once off, but once you break the habit

you’re promising to start healthy again next Monday, right?

Dr Louisa Hoey, a clinical psychologist who specialises in weight

loss and weight management says it’s important to stick to our

guns as early as possible.

“If you commit early it’ll give you ‘self efficacy’ – the belief that

you can do a certain thing (like reduce sugar consumption).”

Practice this by committing to the following:

Making SMART health goals – Specific, Measureable, Attainable,

Realistic, Timely.

Be accountable – keep a diary and write down what you eat every

day.

Plan distraction strategies – walk, have a glass of water or call a

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friend.

Give yourself non-food rewards as you achieve each goal.

9. Building someone else’s dream instead of yourownIt’s a common tale. Your parents are doctors so you became one

too. “It’s so easy to build a loved one’s dream. You love the

person, so you want to support them,” says Lamble.

“Being there for your loved one is essential but don’t lose

yourself in the process,” says Lamble. “We need a sense of

purpose, so share your hopes and dreams with those you love

and keep everything on the agenda.”

Remember, says Lamble: “a good relationship is between two

whole people – it is possible to be there for someone and keep

your eyes on your own prize.”

The awesome person who wrote this...

Sam Bailey

Sam Bailey is a Sydney-based journalist whose passion for

health and fitness and has seen her write across health

titles including Womens Fitness, Womens Health, Body +

Soul and Daily Mail Australia. In her down time you can

find her sipping green smoothies, attempting complex

yoga poses and soaking up vitamin D on Bondi beach.

Tags: featured, getting healthy

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9 unhealthy habits sabotaging your life's potential

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